Kitchen Ideas
Critical to achieving a happy, harmonious household.
KITCHEN IDEAS
You can find some inspiration in magazines or Pinterest or look right here on our website. A kitchen needs a great deal of thought. There a so many questions you need to ask yourself before you even begin to think about final touches like colours, finishes and materials.
The Kitchen is such a busy, important room.. As they say it’s the “Heart of the House” and as such needs very careful consideration.
From all the decisions you will have to make along the journey to “Kitchen Bliss”, the most expensive and costly one by far will definitely be taking bad advice.
It costs you heartache, time, money, and ultimately, you end up disappointed with a space that doesn’t fulfill you.
There are all sorts of ideas that can be incorporated in a kitchen but do they all work? No! What can be a great idea for one household does not work for another. So clearly it is best to enlist the help of an expert who is able to interpret your specific needs into the perfect kitchen for you.
Lucy J Design offer 3D modeling so you can see your kitchen come to life in front of your own eyes. You will be able to see what it looks like before it’s built.. You will understand what storage and work space you have which is usually extremely helpful too. We are here to help you through the process from concept to the installation of your beautiful new Lucy J Perth kitchen.
THE CABINETS
There is only one sure way to achieve the perfect kitchen and that is to take the route of Custom Built cabinetry.
They are great value for money. They will last for 25-30 years and are made from materials that meet current Australian Standards. They are made to suit the space perfectly, they are made to suit you perfectly, and because they are made right here in Perth- you are supporting our local community.
The carcass is constructed of Moisture resistant board and the door substrate is usually MDF.
Kitchen cabinets can consist of base cupboards, drawer banks, upper cupboards, tall units, appliance cupboards, open shelves, glazed cabinets, oven housing, microwave housing, bin drawers etc, etc…
Kitchen doors and drawer fronts can be finished in a variety of materials. Melamine, vinyl wrap, 2 pack lacquer, timber veneer and solid timber are all commonly used in Perth Kitchens.
Kitchen cabinets can simply have a shelf or there many fittings which can be used to gain easy access, similarly drawers can be a basic drawer in various widths however, naturally there are many fittings with specific functions.
Drawers runners are designed to hold various weights while hinges have varying degrees of opening.
COUNTER TOPS
In today’s market there are many materials which can be used on your kitchen counters.
Stone tops are extremely popular and offer good value for money as they have a very long life. With a little care they will look fantastic for a very long time. They all vary in composition and price points. Almost without exception any of the materials listed below can be used on any kitchen style.
Here are some of the materials we commonly work with :
Laminate :
Massive range of Colour and Pattern options.
Hard Wearing and comes with a few Edge Detail styles.
Can’t be restored if scratched.
Affordable at about $120 per metre for a section in the basic range, fully installed.
Corian :
Man-made material.
Joints can be fused, giving them a seamless look.
Relatively soft allowing small scratches to be buffed out.
A good selection of Edge Detail and also in Colour and Pattern options.
A solid choice at around $1000 per metre for a section from the basic range.
Engineered Stone :
Very Durable.
Mainly Quartz with the addition of polyester resins and pigments.
Many choices in Edge Detail, Colour and Pattern options.
Small scratches can be polished out.
Good Value at about $500 per metre fully installed for a section from the basic range.
Stone Cladding :
A smaller, thinner version of Engineered Stone.
Various Styles and Pattern options.
Versatile and Durable.
Large range of sizes and details.
Small scratches can usually be buffed out.
A very wide span of pricing for this option and can be sold by square metre or in linear metre sections.
Granite / Marble :
Ultra hard wearing.
Natural stone imported from various places around the world.
Small scratches can be removed. (best done by a professional)
Large range of Edge Detail and Colour and Pattern options.
Granite is the deluxe option, starting from about $800 per metre fully installed from the standard range.
Solid Timber :
Many different species available worldwide.
Custom cut and standard thickness.
Scratches and dents can add to the counter tops character or can be removed.
Large range of Edge Detail and finishes.
A beautiful feature in select applications, ranging greatly in price but generally about the $500-$1000 per metre fully installed.
APPLIANCES
Kitchen appliances come in all sorts of sizes, with many differing features and applications. Generally you get what you pay for. Ensure you are getting at least a 5 year warranty.
Determine what you use most – the oven or hotplate? Then allocate the greater portion of your renovation budget to it. Free standing ranges are quite popular, particularly in traditional kitchens.
A Rangehood & Canopy are essential in today’s kitchen – they all look good but check motor capacity as this directly affects its exhausting properties.
Dishwasher, sink and taps are also important – lots of choices here. Microwave, steamoven, warming drawers, thermomix, coffee machines.
Electric Ovens can be single, double or 1½ the standard sizes – with basic settings through to full multi function units with self cleaning options. They can be installed under counter or in a wall unit.
The standard combinations are usually gas burners on top with an electric oven. Or all electric. With gas ovens being almost non-existent these days.
Hot Plates – Gas |
The old standard, models generally come in 600mm wide and 900mm wide with a few companies producing some in-between sizes. Good control with large cooking area, but can be a little difficult to clean. |
Electric |
Ribbon Element Ceramic units come in 600mm wide and 900mm wide options with a few companies producing some in-between sizes. Good control. Quite easy to clean |
Induction |
Generally 600mm & 900mm wide with few in-between sizes. Exceptional control. Extremely easy to clean. |
Rangehood & Canopy |
All come with different strength motors which effect its extraction ability. Consider your type of cooking and space, and select the appropriate rangehood or canopy. Most are quite noisy on high settings – if this is a problem for you, consider one with a remote motor. |
Dishwasher |
The more functions there are the greater the cost of the unit. Most people only use 1 or 2 functions regularly. If you can listen to the unit working in the show room – some are very noisy (noisier when run empty). Some come with an integration kit which enables a panel to match your cabinets to be fitted. |
Sink & Tap |
Make sure the sink is large enough for your baking dishes and muffin tins. There are drop in sinks which generally come with bowls and 1 or 2 draining boards. Or you can buy undermount sinks which are hung beneath a stone counter with an exposed polished thickness of stone showing. No draining board with these. Tap – mixer or sets generally try to match the style of tap to the style of kitchen you are having |
SPLASHBACK
This is the area between the counter top and the bottom of upper cupboards.
Traditionally this area has always been tiled. But in more recent times the use of Glass has emerged. It has gained in popularity due to its transparent nature, ease of cleaning and seamless colour appeal.
Stainless steel is can be used in the cooking area. Pressed tin adds a unique finish to the splashback zone.
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